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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25182979">Dream date</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChocoNut/pseuds/ChocoNut'>ChocoNut</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Modern JB love [30]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>A Song of Ice and Fire &amp; Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, Mutual Pining</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 07:36:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,213</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25182979</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChocoNut/pseuds/ChocoNut</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Brienne decides to spend a quiet birthday at home, she's in for the surprise of her life.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jaime Lannister/Brienne of Tarth</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Modern JB love [30]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1557871</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>77</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Dream date</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“So what do you want to do this evening?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get home early.” Birthday or any other day, that was all Brienne wanted. Work had been maddening for the last month or so, and all she craved for was some peace and me-time. “Maybe an early night in.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s so boring,” Bronn grumbled, looking like a child deprived of precious candy. “Birthdays are meant to be spent with a bang, Brienne. It’s the time to drink and dance and party away like there’s no tomorrow--” he leaned across, excited “--I know this new place where we can all--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks, Bronn, but I’d rather be curled up in bed,” she politely declined. “I’m not the partying type.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Birthdays are a perfect excuse of a perfectly romantic date,” Margaery said, dreamily gazing into the distance. “Every woman loves to be pampered, to feel loved--” she caught Brienne’s eyes “--I’m sure you, too, have one such ideal date in mind.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Brienne considered her observation. She’d be lying outright if she denied, yet, she didn’t--</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, out with it,” Sansa poked, sensing from her deliberation, that there was more. “Tell us about your dream birthday date.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” Brienne began, careful not to let her eyes wander towards Jaime, “I wouldn’t exactly say no to a dinner he’d arrange for me--” she smiled to herself when she pictured it in her mind “--not in any fancy restaurant, but at home--just the two of us with scented candles, some flowers, wine and after that--” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stopped, wondering if she’d been a bit too candid in spelling out her fantasy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go on,” Tyrion encouraged, and Brienne looked around to find all her four companions listening in rapt attention, though Jaime appeared to be keenly studying the table, his mind preoccupied with something else. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Cersei, perhaps, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she concluded with a heavy heart, for he’d taken to spending most of his time in a mental cocoon since the day he’d announced he was going to divorce his wife. A marriage that lasted ten years would be difficult to get over, that she could understand. He wouldn't be up for another relationship this early, that also she could understand. It had been a year or so since she’d realized she had fallen for her handsome friend. If she had not yet been able to get over her unrequited love for him and move on, purging his heart and life of his ex would be ten times more difficult and heartbreaking for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She snapped back into the present to find three questioning faces probing hers. Jaime was still in the middle of his solitary mental trip.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell us more.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Before dinner, I’d love some soothing music and a slow dance,” she continued from where she’d left off, warmth spreading up her neck when she imagined herself in Jaime’s arms. “And then--”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>What’s the point when none of this is ever gonna happen?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Sansa prompted impatiently, “And then… ?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve got to go.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seeing sense in keeping the rest of it to herself, Brienne made to leave the table when Sansa grasped her hand. “Sorry if we brought back painful memories of Renly. We didn’t mean to upset you today--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So they were under the impression she’d been talking about Renly all along!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Granted, her first and only attempt at a date with Renly had been a disaster, beginning with a row and ending when it struck her like a thunderbolt that he wasn’t the one, that what she’d been mistaking for love was nothing but physical attraction, an infatuation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s alright,” she replied, not bothering to correct her friend. Their assumption about Renly would mean the secret desire she’d been nurturing for Jaime would be safe within the depths of her heart. No suspicions. No one would ever the slightest inkling about it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It would stay in her mind, buried, never to surface again, just as it ought to be.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jaime, what--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The way her eyes lit up when they surveyed the room, her open-mouthed surprise, her momentary loss of words --  this -- he’d been yearning for this, waiting for the right opportunity to do something like this for her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on in.” He led her through the tastefully decorated room to the candle-lit dining table set for two. “You hate roses, so I thought I’d find you some--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“--lilies,” she breathed, leaning in to take a whiff of their fragrance. “How did you know these are my favourite, Jaime?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shrugged. “I know you, wench.” He poured out two glasses of wine and handed her one. “Why don’t you sit down and have a drink while I--” Grabbing the remote, he flicked a button to flood the room with the soothing, romantic kind of instrumental music she loved.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still speechless and grappling with what she was surrounded by, she sank into the chair and took in a grateful gulp of her drink. “Jaime--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A quiet home cooked meal.” Taking the other vacant chair, he followed her gaze to the dishes on the table. “No fancy restaurant. No people. Just the two of us.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of course, it was obviously Renly she’d rather prefer in his place, for it was an open secret how utterly smitten she was with the pretty boy. But her pretty boy cared nothing for her. All he did was break her heart, and Jaime would, forever, be unforgiving towards him for that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You didn’t have to do this,” she whispered, her chin quivering. “Putting all this together must’ve taken tremendous effort and time--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Springing to his feet, he held out his hand to her. “May I have this dance with you?” he asked, pumping in all the old-fashioned chivalry he could manage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You wanted this, didn’t you? Though I’m not Renly, I think I’ll do for tonight.” Taking her hand, he urged her to the feet. “Soft music, slow dancing--” he led her to the centre of the room “--just as you like it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he pulled her into his arms, his own fantasies came alive, dancing all over his head, nudging him to cross the line, to tell her, to kiss her--</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So you </span>
  <em>
    <span>were </span>
  </em>
  <span>listening this morning,” she said, snuggling closer to him. “I thought--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I always listen, Brienne.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They swayed to the soothing melody, moving together like they’d done this a thousand times before, her body, a perfect fit in his arms. He wanted to capture this moment and set it in stone, to hold her like this all night, to bring every dream of hers to life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Drawing away from his embrace, she looked into his eyes. “Why are you doing all this for me, Jaime?”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Because I want this to be a day you’d remember forever…</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Because I wish to rid your heart of every trace of the hurt Renly has caused you…</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Because I want to fill every day, every minute, every second of your life with joy and prosperity…</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Because…</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He was having a tough time putting together a suitable answer, putting himself together.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Because I...<br/>
</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Because I love you... </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“You deserve a fantastic birthday,” he said, simply, her unending devotion to Renly and the usual stumbling block of his hesitating throttling his desire to come clean, diminishing the magnitude of his feelings to a platonic explanation instead of a heartfelt confession.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She brushed her soft lips to his cheek. “Thank you for making my day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Always,” he whispered, knowing she’d never understand what he truly meant by it. He didn’t know whether to rejoice or to rue this unexpected moment of intimacy. While she’d never been this close to him before, he also knew full well that her kiss would only find his cheek. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Never </span>
  <em>
    <span>more</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Never would their lips meet in a sweet bond of love.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She clung to him as the last few seconds of the song began to unfold, her arms around his neck, her warm breaths bathing his skin in her scent. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And Jaime felt a stab of pain in his chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he’d planned all this, he was confident he could handle the emotional aspect of it, that he’d be able get through the evening like a good friend would. But little did he know that her proximity would do </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> to him. How was he to anticipate his current plight? How was he to predict that her body wrapped around his would trigger a raging inferno within him? How could he have gauged the effect of the soft kissing touches of her skin on his? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>How could he… How could he ever stop yearning for her?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He ached for her more than ever now, wanted nothing else but to spend the rest of his life with her. He’d lay the world down at her feet if only-- if only she agreed to--</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Renly doesn’t realize the value of the treasure he has given up… But I do. I--</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>When the music stopped, he reached into his pocket. “Brienne, I have something else for you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her face a gentle picture of curiosity, she waited.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taking in a generous helping of air, he fished out the box he’d been carrying on him all evening. He had to do this now. While he was wary of a fat chance of rejection, there was a slim possibility that he might succeed, a sliver of positivity he was banking on. The worst would be the wench shrugging him off as no more than a friend. But it was worth this risk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Happy Birthday, wench.” He pressed the velvet box into her hand. “You never quite finished telling us how you wanted your dream day to end. So--” he hoped for the best “--I decided to do the rest of it my way. I, sort of, improvised.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her fingers shaking, she tore away the gift wrapping, and when she uncovered what he’d chosen for her, her eyes popped out of their sockets. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing else would do justice to your eyes.” He recalled the poor store manager’s frustrated face when he had to deal with Jaime’s tireless hunt for the perfect gem. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She gaped at it for a few seconds, then shook her head. “I can’t accept something this expensive.” She thrust the necklace back into his hand. “You didn’t have to--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Turn around, Brienne.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ignoring her denial, he flipped her around and placed the chain around her neck. Centering the heart-shaped sapphire pendant just above the swell her of breasts, he fastened the clasp.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jaime,” she began to protest again, “you’ve already done a lot for me today, cheered me up, made sure I had a wonderful time, but this--” She whirled around to face him again. “I appreciate it, but--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He ran the tip of his forefinger along the intricately carved silvery strand of the chain, silencing her with his delicate touch. “You think the whole evening was just me trying to play </span>
  <em>
    <span>best buddy </span>
  </em>
  <span>to you?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.” She looked confused. “If not, what else--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her skin breaking into goosebumps, she fell silent when he caressed the gem on her chest - his heart beating beside hers just the way it ought to be. “The things I do for love.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her lips parted in surprise, a line or two materializing on her forehead. “Jaime--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course,” he went on, unsavoury thoughts trespassing his mind as he tensely studied her hesitation, “if you can’t get Renly out of your head, if you want to try again with him--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Brienne wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a passionate kiss. And all he knew after that was the sweet seduction of her lips, her soft curls tangled around his fingers, the gentle pressure of her feminine curves against his body. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The end, it was, and a beginning as well. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The end of haunting thoughts of Renly and the beginning of his dreams, his fantasies, a new journey. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The end of all doubts about her feelings and the beginning of certainties he could count on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The end of a phase of torment and the beginning of a blissful period together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He poured into this gesture of love and desire, everything he had, showering her with all the affection he was bursting with, showing her how much she meant to him, learning, with each passing second, how precious he was to her. It was like the sun and moon had come down to engage in an erotic mating dance, like the sky had spread its vast arms to bind itself to the ocean in a marriage that would last until eternity.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It felt like she had been made for him, and he, for her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What was that all about?” he teased, dizzy from the kiss when they pulled away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Something I’d do </span>
  <em>
    <span>only </span>
  </em>
  <span>for love.” Her eyes shone as bright as the jewel on her chest. “Speaking of Renly, there’s one thing you’d like to know,” she added in a breathy voice, blushing slightly as her fingers glided up his stomach and towards his chest. “I didn’t kiss him.” She undid the first button, and then the second, her fingertips playing with the wisps of hair on his chest. “Not even once, Jaime.” Grabbing a handful of his shirt, she brought her lips to his. “Never.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was her birthday, but Jaime had been presented with the best gift ever.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I hope you enjoyed this one too! Thank you so much for reading :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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